In The Beginning
by BigBadWolfyBoy
Summary: The serendipitous encounters that brought Han and Qi'ra together.
1. 1

**Author Note:** Just a little something that popped into my head. Might continue it. Honestly not sure. Please RR!

 _ **Disclaimer: No, I don't own Star Wars. It'd be different if I did.**_

 **In The Beginning**

The metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth almost as quick as the bile that had risen in the back of his throat had. His eyes stung from the tears that threatened to spill out from the blow he'd taken to his nethers. His assailants didn't seem to keep to the phrase "honor amongst thieves". He couldn't help the lopsided smirk that pulled at his lips as he considered the fact that he wasn't one to stick to that sentiment in a fight either.

"C'mon newbie, show us what you've got there!"

Another hard hit, this time to the ribs. "Yeah kid, just hand it over."

"Hey!" An enraged female voice rang down along the corridor. "Leave 'im alone!"

Rushed footfalls came towards them and Han found that the charge gave him enough time to get on his feet. The gold chain with a cube on each end - the elder boys target - was hastily tucked into the pockets of the too small and patched pants he wore.

Han was surprised as he watched the girl tackle one of the elder boys to the ground. She made a solid connection and had the boy pinned beneath her, a sharp bit of something pressed to his throat.

"Whoa," he mumbled. There was a flash of movement in his peripheral vision and he found his strength reinvigorated as he realized that the other boy was going for his pint sized heroine.

With a growl Han struck out, shouldering the other boy into the adjacent wall, and followed it up with a head butt to the nose, a sickening crunch sounding.

"Ah, ok, ok!" The boy on the ground said, moving both hands up in a show of surrender. "We was just playing Qi'ra. You remember when you was a newbie. It's tradition."

The explanation the boy gave didn't seem to please the girl and Han saw Qi'ra's gaze darken. "And you remember that Lady Proxima doesn't take kindly to such things."

Han saw the boy beneath her gulp and nod his head. Qi'ra suddenly smiled sweetly and rose, letting the boy up. Han followed suit, backing away from the boy he'd hit, just now noticing the amount of blood that was running down his chin and onto his shirt.

And just like that, the confrontation was over. Both of the boys scrambled away, tails tucked between their legs and disappeared out of sight. Letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, Han met Qi'ra's gaze and let out a laugh. She smiled and moved over to him.

"C'mon, let me see," her lightly accented voice floated on the air and Han was sure that it was the sweetest sound that he'd ever heard. She motioned to a spot with better lighting and he obeyed, leaning down so that she could inspect his wounds. "You've got a nasty cut on your chin there. Most likely leave a battle scar. Don't make collecting these souvenirs a habit if you want to survive."

"Who me? I assure you that I was an innocent bystander." That statement earned him a look of disbelief from her and he met it with a shrug of his shoulders.

"And what were you so desperately holding on to?" He cleared his throat and looked down. "I won't take it."

Han nodded and fished the trinket from his pocket.

"Aurodium-plated chance cubes," she stated matter-of-factly, meeting his gaze. "Where did you get these?"

"My father." He felt her blue orbs searching his own and he could've sworn that he saw a tinge of sadness creep into her own. "He said they were lucky."

"Clearly. I saved your arse, after all."

He smiled widely and regretted it, the cut on his chin serving as a rude reminder.

"I'm Qi'ra," she said, extending her hand to him.

Han took it, already engulfing it in his own, and gave it a firm shake. "Han."

He had a feeling that this was the start of a beautiful partnership.


	2. 2

_**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it.**_

 **In The Beginning**

"Han, don't. It's not worth it," Qi'ra said, pulling desperately on the young rogue's jacket.

She couldn't find it in herself to be too mad at him. After all, since that day in the corridor eight years earlier, Han had become a personal bodyguard of sorts. She hadn't complained for the protection had been mutual. They protected each other no matter what.

But she feared that Scud had gone too far this time with his comments about her more matured body and what he wished to do to it.

"C'mon Qi'ra, I broke his nose once. A second time might be an improvement," Han said but his dark eyes were fixed on the other young man.

"Aw what's the matter Han, your master not letting you off your leash?"

 _Oh no._ Qi'ra saw the look of determination on her friend's face and knew that her only option now was to make sure that Scud managed to walk off with a pulse.

"C'mon Qi'ra you needs you a real man. Someone who knows what he's doing and can put you where you need to be," Scud said, a hand gesturing to his crotch.

Her skin crawled and a blush rose to her cheeks. She had started to curse the day that puberty had hit ever since men like Scud had noticed and she'd had to endure such things. Scud's friends laughed behind them.

"That's it..."

And then an idea hit her. Her hands grasped each side of the collar on Han's jacket, she stood up on her tiptoes, and pulled Han into a kiss - her first.

Qi'ra wasn't sure what she had expected but she hadn't thought that Han's response would be so...enthusiastic...or skilled. She'd heard rumors from the other girls and their gossip about the two of them being more than friends hadn't meant anything to her. But now...

She broke the kiss, meeting his gaze and saw something there that hadn't been there before. _Maybe it had_ , she thought and she felt the heat spread across her cheeks. But her rash decision had felt incredibly right.

Slowly she turned around to face the men, all of whom looked utterly dumbfounded and were pleasantly silent. She straightened herself up and smiled to them.

"I assure you, Scud, I know where I belong."

She walked away with her head held high, a hand pressed to her lips, and a new opinion of her personal hero.


End file.
